July 16, 2023, 10A Sowing Seeds, Matthew 13:1-9,18-23 St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 5 pm. Joanna Seibert
Randy Hollerith,1 the dean of Washington National Cathedral, reminds us that in Jungian psychology, every character in our dreams actually represents a different part or version of ourselves. Each character can teach us something about us. Applying this thought to the parable of the sower, the various types of soil may represent varying states of our soul at different times in our lives. After all, God does not spread the seeds of grace, truth, and love only once in our lifetime, but most probably constantly./
The dean asks us, “What kind of soil represents the state of our soul, our spiritual life tonight?/ Is our connection to God tentative?/ Is our faith superficial,/ only going about the motions with no depth or roots, so when difficulty comes we abandon God, because we think God has abandoned us?/ Is our soul nourished by relationships with others in this community who are on the journey with us?/ Is our heart closed off to keep out the pain that surrounds us?/ Are the cares of the world choking us to death?”
If any of this is true in your life, you are among the right people and in the right place. We are here to ask God constantly to come into our hearts and change us. We are here to remember and learn how to become aware of God’s constant presence, sowing seeds of grace, beside us/and inside us. It is a daily, hourly spiritual practice for all of us to be aware.
Also note that using images of birds, sun, and thorns, Jesus points to the truth that the way we hear and receive the word and grace of God is impacted by more than our own will and desire. There will always be circumstances beyond our control that keep us from being the good soil we hope to be. This reminds us to be cautious with our moralizing and judgment against others and ourselves.2
Hollerith also reminds us that the sower is quite extravagant.
He doesn’t sow the seed in only the finest soil. God casts his love widely and with abandon to all of us no matter where we are at any particular moment in our lives. God never gives up on us. The seeds keep coming. Our job is to be aware of the presence of the seeds and become the good soil for them. That means learning spiritual practices to help us constantly turn our life and our will over to the care of God.
Barbara Brown Taylor3 also believes this parable focuses on the generosity of our maker, the prolific sower who does not obsess about the condition of the fields,/ is not stingy with the seed but casts it everywhere, on good soil and bad. The sower is not cautious, judgmental, or even practical, but seems willing to continue reaching into his seed bag for all eternity, covering the whole creation with the fertile seeds of truth, grace, and love. This is also the God of my understanding.
Let us never give up on ourselves and each other. God never does. God never abandons us, no matter how poor the state of our soul is. God is sowing seeds of love and grace for our souls in this quiet place, right now, tonight. Be aware of this. Be aware of God’s presence here with us, beside and inside each of us. As we leave this place,/may we continue to help each other keep nourishing that seed inside and outside of each other/with the seeds and the good soil offered here tonight/as we say prayers, sing, listen to music, light candles, and share this Holy Eucharist with each other.
1 Randy Hollerith, “Sowing seeds,” National Cathedral Lenten Meditation Feb 28, 2021.
2 Libby Howe ,”Sunday’s Coming, Christian Century, July 16, 2023
3 Barbara Brown Taylor, The Seeds of Heaven: Sermons on the Gospel of Matthew (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2004), 25–26.